In Another Time
by Dark Waffle
Summary: Looking at him hurt. She wasn't sure why she was feeling like this, but her heart ached. It ached like she was grieving for someone dear to her that she had lost. But even though it hurt, there was a warmth in her heart that she never knew she was missing.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hello everyone! Wow, it has been a _while_ since I've been on this site. I'm rising from below and coming out with a quick four chaptered story that I have written somehow. I was inspired to write this after reading a prompt on Tumblr that caught my interest. I had seen it last year and started writing snipets for it here and there until one day I just sat down and wrote about 15 pages? I'm still not done with it yet, but I know exactly where I want it to go and how I want it to move along. I have already written the first two parts and am now working on the last two. So, this will be updated weekly :) **

**Now, enough of me! I hope you all enjoy this new story I have for you!**

 **I do not own _Fairy Tail_. **

**In Another Time**

 _ **-O-**_

" _Do fairies really have tails? Do they even exist... Like them this place is an eternal mystery... A never ending adventure."_

 _ **-O-**_

" _There has to be another way. There's_ _ **always**_ _another_ _way!"_

" _Not this time, Lucy."_

" _Natsu, don't. Don't say things like that."_

" _I told ya I would protect your future, right? I never go back on my promises."_

" _But I don't want to live in a future without you, Natsu!"_

" _Goodbye, Lucy."_

" _ **NATSU**_ _!"_

 _ **-O-**_

The city was bustling with activity as the winter air was finally settling in. The city of Magnolia was crowded as the annual lighting festival had commenced in celebration of the holiday season. Tourist flaked the city, stopping at some of the hottest spots in the city.

But there was no landmark more popular in the city of Magnolia than the Fairy Tale Centre. It was on the northwestern part of the city, next to the famous Lake Sciliora, Magnolia's hottest tourist site during the summer.

Despite its childish name, it was home to one of the biggest museums in the country of Fiore. Not only did it hold to the history of Magnolia, but it held history of the old times of the country of Fiore. Many myths and legends surrounded the museum about centuries ago where magic guilds, dark wizards, and dragons roamed the land. Many townsfolk engrained it into their history, as part of the culture of Magnolia. The tourist drank in the legends and wandered to the Fairy Tale Centre, in hopes of discovering the truth behind the myths.

Fairy Tale Centre was home to not only a museum, but a restaurant, massive library collection, and children's play center area at the basement of the building. The Fairy Tale Centre building and the Kardia Cathedral in the middle of city were not only Magnolia's oldest structures, but some of few, rare structures left in the entire country of Fiore.

Both Fairy Tale Centre and Kardia Cathedral along with Magnolia's thriving culture give it life, leaving it as one of the most popular cities in the country of Fiore.

So popular that Crocus Times Magazine youngest publisher, Lucy Heartfilia, had to come take a look at the city herself.

"Alright, now that I'm here… I should get myself a tour guide." The young woman muttered to herself as she put a finger to her chin with a small smile gracing her lips. She knew just the person too.

Pulling out her phone, she called for her 'tour guide,' waiting for the individual on the other end of the phone to answer the phone.

" _Lucy?"_

At the recognition of the voice on the other side of the phone, Lucy smiled. "Hey… Levy."

" _Wow! Lucy! It is you!"_ Lucy giggled as she heard the girl on the other side of the phone laugh.

"Of course it is!" Dodging the traffic of pedestrians, she made her way over towards a scarce park where she could hear the girl on the other side of the phone. "How have you been, _Levy_?"

Lucy snickered as she heard Levy stumble on the other end of the phone. _"Oh Lu! You never change!"_ A soft smile replaced her previous smirk as her childhood nickname was recognizable in her ears.

"I try not to disappoint…" She trailed off, her eyes wandering the crowd, looking for inspiration. Inspiration for what you might ask? Inspiration for the next hit on Crocus' Time Magazine: Magnolia Edition.

" _Not that I don't appreciate the out of the blue phone call from my best friend that I haven't heard from in over_ _ **2 years**_ _…"_ Lucy cringed slightly as remorse settled in the pit of her stomach. Had it really been 2 years already?

" _But it's really out of the blue that you call me. What's up?"_

 _As perceptive as always, aren't you Levy?_ Lucy thought to herself as a smirk reached her lips. The blonde laughed, knowing that it was pointless to make the small talk.

"Oh alright. You caught me." The brown eyed woman could hear Levy mutter _'I knew it'_ on the other end and Lucy rolled her eyes. "Say, are you still living in Magnolia?"

" _Yes…?"_

A victorious smile encased Lucy's face.

"What do you say to meeting me at the corner of Strawberry and Lemon in let's say, 20 minutes?" There was an audible gasp and a loud _'clink'_ could be heard, as if her best friend had dropped the phone. She could hear Levy saying something inaudible, accompanied by a gruff voice in the background that she didn't recognize.

" _Lu! Don't tell me you're here in Magnolia!"_ Ah, there. Levy had returned, making Lucy jump slightly as she didn't expect her petite best friend to shout in her ear.

The young blonde couldn't stop the chuckle from escaping her lips. "Let's just say I'm in town for the weekend and in dire need of a tour guide. Free of charge of course."

There was a slight shriek and Lucy nearly lost herself then. That gruff voice she had heard earlier was speaking again and it made her curious. A boyfriend perhaps? But, she knew she would get her answers shortly enough if Levy agreed to meet her.

" _Lu! Why didn't you tell me ahead of time! I would have blocked off the entire weekend for you!"_

"So are you saying that you have a busy weekend?" Lucy's tone of voice fell immediately.

There was some shuffle at the other end of the line. She could hear Levy saying something lowly on the other end and that gruff voice returned. Whoever that was, he did not sound amused.

" _You're in luck, Lu! My schedule just cleared up!"_ The joy on Lucy's face was evident as she shouted in glee. It was followed by some of the observers around her, but she didn't care. Her biggest story yet was going to be pieced together _and_ she was going to get to see her best friend after two years.

" _I'll see you in 20, Lu!"_

"Don't keep me waiting for long!"

With that, Lucy hung up the phone and stuck it back in her pocket. She turned back towards the city with a triumph smile setting on her lips.

A feeling of excitement passed through her as she walked down the street, taking in the air of the city of Magnolia. It was full of excitement and wonder. There was so much history in this city and she couldn't wait to see it all.

As she walked down Strawberry Street, she couldn't help but climb on the ledge next to the river bank with her arms stretched out to her sides. She hadn't done something like this since she was a child, but that didn't stop the smile from growing wider on her pretty face.

"Careful, Miss! You don't want to slip and fall in!" Lucy stopped in her tracks and looked over towards a pair of men who were paddling in the cannel with supplies in their boat.

 _Watch out, Miss Lucy! You don't want to fall into the cannel now!_

Lucy blinked, feeling like she had heard something like this before. It was almost like déjà vu. The feeling was so familiar and she couldn't help but be taken aback by it.

"Uh, yeah thanks! I won't!" She retorted with a smile, not wanting to be rude.

Jumping off the ledge, she looked up and saw the cross street of Strawberry and Lemon.

It wouldn't be long until Levy arrived, she thought to herself as she began to observe the area around her. Directly to her left, there was a family owned fashion store. With some time to spare, she decided to go in.

Immediately, she fell in love.

Lucy could tell that all this was hand made. From the bracelets to the headbands to the scarves to the mittens and gloves, the blonde was impressed with the fine craftsmanship that was exhibited.

"Hello Miss. Is there something we could help you with?" At her left, Lucy was met with a stunning white haired woman with bright blue eyes that left the blonde speechless. Her beauty was radiant and there was almost a warm, white glow around her body.

She was filled with instant warmth.

"I-I was just waiting for a friend when I decided to take a look around." She explained, still frazzled by the sheer beauty of this young woman. "Everything is handmade, right?"

The white haired maiden blushed and chuckled, nodding her head. "Yes. That was very perceptive of you."

"I have a keen eye for the finer things." They shared a laugh and Lucy continued to walk around, fingering the different types of accessories and types of clothing. "These necklaces and bracelets are so cute! And these scarves are just gorgeous! Wow, you are so talented!"

"Why thank you." The soft blue eyed woman said as she followed closely behind Lucy. "But, it's not just me who hand makes all these. My sister helps as well."

"So it's a family business?" Lucy asked.

The white haired woman nodded with a smile. "Yes. The MakeShift Corner. I'm Mirajane Strauss. I own the store."

"And I'm Lisanna! I'm the little sister!"

Lucy jumped at the sudden appearance of this spunky newcomer.

She was the exact clone of her older sister except for the short white hair that she currently had tied into cute pigtails. Both young women were dazzling and beautiful. Lucy almost paled in comparison.

"What did you say your name was, Miss?" Mirajane asked.

"Ah, Lucy. Lucy Heartfilia." Lucy continued eying the store as Mira and Lisanna followed behind her.

"Is this your first time in Magnolia, Lucy?"

Lucy was thumbing the fabric on one of the ribbons that was eerily similar to one she had when she was a child when Mira asked her the question. The soft, blue fabric was a happy, but bitter reminder of her past.

"Unfortunately, yes." The blonde mulled as she gripped the blue ribbon. "As a publisher, it's difficult to find time to leave my office and visit other cities throughout Fiore."

The young blonde turned back towards Mira and her younger sister with a small smile.

"That sounds unfortunate. Adventuring is a must in life. There are so many things to see, so many things to experience." Mira went and grabbed the ribbon that Lucy was so entranced with and handed it to Lisanna.

"Mira-nee is absolutely right! There is so much to see in the world!" Lisanna chimed into the conversation as she wrapped the blue ribbon.

"I've traveled before when I was younger." There was a sadness that washed over Lucy's eyes as she reminisced on her painful past. "My father was a renowned business man and my mother and I often joined him for his business trips when I was younger. I've been to most places in Fiore. And as a journalist, I did a lot of traveling for my articles."

"But you never once came to Magnolia?" The youngest Strauss asked and Lucy smiled sadly.

"Well, I almost did once. My father had scheduled a business trip to the city. My mother and I were to accompany him. Once he was done with his business, we were to vacation together in the city."

Mira walked up to Lucy and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Lucy, you don't have to share if you don't want too. We understand." Lisanna shook her head in response with a smile on her face.

Lucy felt a heavy weight on her chest as these two beautiful women smiled at her with such kindness. The weight pressing on her chest left a ball in her throat that made her want to cry with tears of joy. All the pain in her years of loneliness had suddenly vanished as a soft light was practically emitting from the two in front of her.

She shook her head and swallowed away the ball in her throat. "My mother passed away before we made our trip to Magnolia. Since then, the excitement I had for visiting had immediately disappeared."

Before the white haired maiden could mutter a word, Lucy smiled at the two young owners. "This might sound strange, but I feel very at ease talking with you two. It's almost like I'm being greeted by the siblings I never had. Especially since I am an only child."

Lisanna giggled and Mira followed suit with a smile. The blonde immediately blushed and felt embarrassed by her words.

"You know, I was just thinking the same thing! Weren't you, Mira-nee?" Lisanna responded and the blonde felt the back of her neck heat up.

Mira nodded and went to embrace the young publisher, who was immediately shocked by the burst of the personal space bubble.

"Oh dear." she began, "You've been alone for quite a while, haven't you? It's no wonder that you are so easy to talk too."

 _It's when people are lonely that they become kind._

It was like a gust of air to her stomach as Mira embraced her. There was such a familiar presence with the two young ladies, especially the oldest of the Strauss siblings. Lucy felt like she had been surrounded by it once.

Mira released her from the hug and reached out for something. Lisanna placed it in her hands and she turned, facing Lucy with that motherly smile she donned so well.

"Here, take this." Lucy's eyes almost popped out as the blue fabric she was so entranced with was now laying wrapped in her arms.

"Oh no. Mira-san, I cannot take this!" Trying to push the gift back into her hands, both Strauss siblings shook their heads.

"We insist! It's been such a long time since we have had someone like you come by! Consider it a gift! So you can come back and visit us!" Mira nodded along with her younger sister as Lisanna jumped from the counter and clasped Lucy's hands.

"This way, you will have a piece of Magnolia with you. And you can remember us always."

The tear were very close to falling from Lucy's eyes as the two young women showed her more kindness than she had been shown in the last few years.

"Thank you so much." She clutched the fabric to her chest and smiled so brightly.

"Lu?"

At the sound of her nickname, Lucy immediately whipped her head and the bright smile grew as her brown eyes landed on the blue haired woman that was walking the shop in search for her.

"Levy?"

Said girl turned and her eyes went wide. There was a brief moment of silence as the two young ladies stared at one another with doe eyes. Levy was the first to break the silence as a petite smile broke on to her face.

"Lu!"

Lucy was almost thwarted back as the small blue haired woman embraced her into a tight hug. It took the blonde a few seconds to recompose herself, but once her mind registered Levy hugging her, she reacted with instinct.

"Levy!"

The two shared a long hug as Mira and Lisanna looked at one another with a knowing smile. Lucy could feel the tears welt at her eyes as she pulled away from her long time best friend.

"Look at you, Lu!" Levy said as she noticed the small things about Lucy that had changed in the last couple of years. "You have changed so much!"

"Are you serious? _Look at you!_ Your hair use to be so short!" The blonde grabbed a long lock of Levy's hair and Levy blushed.

"I was anxious about it at first, but I've really liked the way it turned out." Lucy winked and gave Levy the thumbs up.

"Hi Levy! Nice to see you!" Lisanna called out to her and the blue haired woman smiled and waved. Lucy wasn't shocked to see that they knew one another. The atmosphere around this town, around this shop, it felt like home. It was that feeling of home that attracted Lucy here in the first place.

Her reuinon with Levy had been so fulfilling. It was as if nothing had ever changed between them in their two year separation. She appreciate the simplicity of their friendship and how it trascended time so easily. Levy had always been her best friend, the only person she could truly rely on. Seeing her again had almost driven her to tears.

The four young women briefly talked amongst one another for some time. And while it happened, there was a warmth bubbling in her chest.

She felt like she had been surrounded by this before.

Lucy wasn't sure what it was about this city, but since her arrival, she's been feeling nostalgic. These feelings and emotions kept bubbling in within her and she was lost for words.

But how could she be nostalgic about somewhere she's never even stepped foot in?

Lucy could only hope that it meant her trip was going to be worthwhile.

 **A/N: Just in case ya'll didn't know, this is a NaLu story. But as much as it is NaLu, it's also a Fairy Tail story. This story not only revolves around Natsu and Lucy, but the entirety of the Fairy Tail guild. Meaning, there will be lots of friendship feels.**

 **I hope you guys like what I have so far! Next update will be next week and hopefully I should have the third chapter done by then! Reviews, comments, criticism, etc. are always encouraged!**

 **Till next time!  
\- Dark Waffle**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: That last chapter had me _squealing!_ I'm so _pumped_ for next week!**

 **Anyway, Part 2 as promised! I hope you all enjoy!**

 **I do not own _Fairy Tail_. **

**In Another Time**

 _ **-O-**_

 _"_ _Comrade isn't simply a word. Comrades are about heart. It's the unconditional trust in your partners._ _Please, feel free to lean on me... and I too, will lean on you as well_ _."_

 _**-O-**_

"Oi, shrimp! Did you find her yet?"

At the sound of the gruff voice, all eyes turned to the doorway to see a tall, broody man with short, dark hair and a heavily pierced faced. There was a heavy frown embedded on his face and a grim thin line on his lips.

Lucy looked down at her friend with a questioning glance and Levy immediately blushed.

"Ah, sorry Gajeel." She said nervously as she played with her fingers. "I found her!"

The dark haired man who easily loomed over all the girls shifted his dark, red eyes towards the blonde. Lucy began to shrink under his intimidating glare. She had a feeling that he must have been that rough voice in the background when she was on the phone with Levy.

"Lu, this is my boyfriend, Gajeel." _Ah ha,_ Lucy thought to herself as Levy introduced them to one another. "Gajeel, this is Lu, my best friend!"

He grunted and his apathetic, red eyes narrowed at her. This brute of a man did not seemed pleased. Lucy had a hunch she may have altered his plans for her for the day.

"Pleasure to meet you." She said with a smile.

Gajeel grunted and turned his dark, red eyes towards the other young women in the shop. Mira greeted him with a small smile and Lisanna chuckled as she walked towards the back.

Levy sighed disappointingly as Lucy scowled slightly. Well, he didn't have to be overly rude.

"Sorry Lu. He's a little upset right now." The blue haired woman apologized in a hush tone as the brooding character walked out the store without another word.

Lucy shrugged her shoulders. "You know, Levy? I would have never thought that dark and broody were your type. Were the piercings the turn on for you?"

Levy blushed immediately and smacked Lucy in the shoulder. "Lu! _No_!"

The room engaged in collective laughter as Levy blushed fiercely under her scarf, defending herself to the trio of girls in front of her. Lucy couldn't help but tease her old friend, poking fun at her and her new boyfriend. It was refreshing after all the years Levy had teased her with different men in her past. Though, there weren't many. It was all more suitors than men she had actually shared a relationship with.

"So, are you ready to go?" Levy asked.

Lucy's nod was followed by a smirk. "I have nothing but high expectations for today."

The blue haired woman giggled, waved goodbye to the Strauss siblings and walked out the door. Before Lucy followed, she looked back to her two new companions that she had bonded with so quickly.

"I won't ever forget you two, that's a promise."

Mira and Lisanna both smiled at the busty blonde standing in front of them. Lucy could feel that warmth in her again, the familiarity gnawing at the pit of her stomach. Why did she have such a strong inclination that she had met these two before?

"Don't be a stranger, Lucy. Come visit us whenever you're in town." Mira said as she clasped her hands together in front of her.

"Yeah! What big sis said! I'll be real mad if you don't come say hi every once in a while!" Lisanna chimed in, throwing her hands up in the air with a mischievous twinkle in her eye.

Lucy laughed, tears prickling at her eyes. "You can count on it!"

After waving her final goodbye, she stepped out of the shop, her eyes scanning the crowd for Levy and her boyfriend, Gajeel. When she spotted them over by the canal bank, she noticed a red hue on Levy's cheek and a sadistically, teasing grin on the dark haired man's face.

So the stoic man could muster up emotion, huh?

"So, where to first?" Lucy asked as she intruded in on their private moment. Levy jumped and Gajeel's teasing grin fell, replaced by a frown.

"Ah, let's go to the market area! There are tons of different places that you might like!" The petite woman replied as she turned away from Gajeel and towards the opposite end of the road.

Lucy eyed the tall brute carefully before she locked arms with Levy. He was lingering behind the two girls, his eyes wavering elsewhere with a brooding frown. The red eyed man was not amused with this sudden interruption. She had a feeling that she interrupted what might had possibly been a date night.

"Neh, Levy?" The blonde asked.

The petite woman looked up to her estranged best friend with a smile. "What is it, Lu?"

"I'm getting the strongest inclination that your boyfriend doesn't like me very much." Levy turned and took a look at the dark haired man. He grumbled under his breath and she sighed.

"Well, Gajeel did have plans for us today." _Knew it,_ "So he's kind of upset I'm here and not where he wanted us to be." She fiddled with her fingers and Lucy patted her shoulder. Now the blonde did feel kind of bad for suddenly springing this on her.

"But, that's alright! I haven't seen my best friend in over _two years_." The terrible feeling of guilt crawled at the end of throat. "So he will just have to get over it."

The youngest Heartfilia turned back to the dark haired man behind her. For a brief moment, Lucy and Gajeel locked eyes and a sudden rush of air left her stomach. There were bleak, faint memories and the strong smell of iron in her nares. She could see dark, red eyes and a sadistic grin.

 _You call this a guild? Pathetic!_

Lucy's eyes widened as the familiarity of the voice in her head shocked her. Though more arrogant, it was striking similar to the man's behind her. For a moment, Lucy was scared. There was a gnawing at her stomach and she suddenly felt queasy. Levy asked her if she was alright, to which she waved off and said she was slightly tired from her travel to Magnolia. The blue haired woman believed her as she continued walking towards the market area.

She didn't understand what that was just now. When she looked back at Gajeel, he was glowering at the floor. Sure, he might have been intimidating, but that feeling of dread was overwhelming.

Lucy sighed, apologizing to Levy for the sudden intrusion, but the blue haired women merely waved her off. Instead, she began dragging the blonde off to some of Magnolia's best spots with Gajeel in tow.

Levy took her to the most peculiar places. While she did see some of the finer things, like the market area and the Old Town District, Lucy found herself intrigued by the stranger of locations.

For example, they stopped by a local gym called _The Beast_. Lucy was perplexed by the name, but all the more curious. When they went in, she learned that Levy and Gajeel knew the man that owned the place, going by the name of Elfman Strauss.

Who also happened to be the middle sibling of the Strauss siblings Lucy had met earlier in the day. There was no denying who his sisters were as the mop of white, messy hair was brushed back in a ponytail and his striking blue eyes shone in the dimmed lighting of the gym.

He was a brute of a man with his insanely large body figure. There were scattered scars on his body and his voice was deeply intimidating. Lucy knew he could probably crush her with the clench of his fist.

But the moment she began talking to him, she realized that he was anything but intimidating. He was kind and humorous, making candid jokes and welcoming her so openly. Though Lucy was slightly annoyed by his constant phrase "If you're a man!" she found herself relaxed in conversation.

When it was time to go, Lucy was saddened. Gajeel and Elfman promised a spar and Levy hugged the brute goodbye. Elfman too did not shy away from the idea that they just met.

"If you're a friend of my sister, then you're a friend of mine!" Lucy was lifted into the air as she yelped to Elfman's sudden hug. "Only men can take my hugs! You are worthy, Lucy!"

The blonde couldn't help but giggle and said her farewells.

Levy bounced around from place to place. They stopped at another family owned store that was ran by a woman named Evergreen. Though Evergreen appeared conceited and had a superiority complex, Lucy thought that the women was quirky. And the lotions and soaps sold there smelled much better than the typical manufactured types. Lucy learned that Elfman and Evergreen were dating as Levy decided to tease the brunette.

Though she was slightly put off with her arrogant attitude, Lucy thought she was a very lovely lady in terms of beauty. Gajeel commented under his breath about her being somewhat of a bitch, but Levy quickly reprimanded him for his rude comment. She couldn't help but laugh.

Next was a paint shop ran by a man named Reedus Jonah. The young publisher immediately fell in love with his works of art. He was a talent artist/painter as far as the blonde could tell. Growing up in a wealthy family meant that one learned to appreciate the finer details of artistic work, especially their value. And taking a few glances at some of the portraits on the wall, Lucy knew this man was destined to be great.

"Thank you for your kind words, Miss. Here, take this as a welcome gift. From me, to you." Reedus handed Lucy a portrait of herself, the background being Fairy Tale Centre, with the infamous rumored Fairy Tail guild mark on the building. Lucy's eyes welded up as she hugged the older man, complimenting his fine art work, wishing him much luck for his future.

Lucy continued meeting more people as she met a lovely couple by the name of Alzack and Bisca Conell and their daughter Asuka. They ran a gun shop and entertained the idea of living in a southwest way. Lucy fell in love with their daughter as she played with her more than looking around the shop.

 _Do you and Natsu kiss like mommy and daddy?_

When she was swinging Asuka, Lucy's heart fell as a voice strikingly similar to Asuka's entered her mind. Her heart sank as a feeling of melancholy filled her. And she didn't understand why.

And who was this _Natsu_? She had never heard or met someone with that name.

Asuka asked if she was alright, Alzack and Bisca breaking conversation with Levy and Gajeel, to assure Lucy was okay. She waved it off once more and smiled, stating she was just tired.

But Lucy was confused more than anything. Ever since she had stepped into this town, there was this churning at her stomach and her mind had been filled with these images and sounds, almost like memories. Memories of what though? They all seemed so foreign to her.

"Auntie Lucy! Come visit again soon!" Asuka said as she, Levy, and Gajeel exited the shop. Before she left, Alzack and Bisca gave Lucy a bullet to remember them by. Her bag was beginning to fill up with memoirs of this trip.

They made other stops that Lucy would have never stopped by had she been on her own. Those other places included a tattoo shop that as owned by a strange man that went by the name of Bixlow. He had three daughters that ran around, chanting the same mantra of "Bidi bidi!" over and over. Next was a snazzy, hole in the wall tech shop ran by another friend of Levy's named Warren Rocko. He was extremely intelligent and made Lucy's head spin with his technological jargon. After they left, they stopped by an ice cream shop that was owned by an older man that went by the name Macao Conbolt and his friend Wakaba Mine. There, she met his hyperactive son, Romeo Conbolt. He was fascinated by Lucy's stories of travel and seemed more than eager to pursue a journey or traveling right that moment.

Lucy had to admit that the ice cream they sold was amazing. She could really taste the flavor and the savor. She took a mental note to grab some before she left town and returned to Crocus.

As the day moved very quickly, Lucy wished there was more than 24 hours in a day. There was just _so much_ to see. Magnolia was a beautiful city and its history was more mesmerizing. The young publisher took mental notes and pictures of all the different places Levy brought her too. Even at one point, it seemed Gajeel was enjoying himself.

Being the young writer she was, Lucy was especially perceptive. Every location that Levy had brought her too, her best friend had known all those eccentric, but candid people. It wasn't just Levy, Gajeel knew them as well. Though Magnolia was a large city, one of the largest in all of Fiore, Levy had made the city seem so small.

"It amazes me how many people you know, Lev." Lucy commented as she sat against the ledge of water fountain in front of the Kardia Cathedral. She took a sip of her water as she watched young children dance to the music being played by some musicians on the steps of the looming cathedral. There was bustling activity as small vendors and stores were lined outside the steps of the church and the fountain area.

"I guess you can say that. I've lived here forever though, so it only makes sense. And when I met Gajeel, I met more of his friends as well." Gajeel was off grabbing a drink at one of the beverage vendors. Lucy stared at the dark mane that hung below his shoulders.

"Once you get to know him, you'd realize he's a big softie. I was immediately put off by his intense gaze." Lucy turned to her best friend and Levy smiled. "But, once he saved me, I realized that Gajeel really is a kind person under that rough exterior of his."

Lucy cocked an eyebrow. "Saved you? Figuratively or literally?" The blue haired woman laughed, understanding the need for clarification.

"Literally." an embarrassed chuckle was followed by Levy's statement.

"Oh I have to hear this story now." There was a teasing grin on Lucy's face as she leaned forward with her chin in her hand.

"It wasn't anything spectacular or over the top. I was walking home from the Fairy Tale Centre after my shift at the library and it was pretty late. Gajeel use to work as a security guard there until he joined the Magnolia Police Department." brown eyes shifted back towards the dark haired man. Now that Lucy knew his occupation, she was beginning to connect the dots with that man.

"Anyway, we hadn't begun dating yet. We were barely friends, but we fought often. We had gotten into a huge fight that day and I angrily stomped away from him. I was so infuriated with him for most of the way home that I hadn't noticed the strange group of men following behind me."

Lucy could see where this was going as Levy began to explain how the strange men had approached her and pestered her, urging her to follow them. Of course she refused and tried to get her way home, but they were reluctant and gave her a hard time.

It was a cliché story line out of a movie.

"So then Gajeel shows up and barks at the guys to back off." she giggles, "It's not enough to get them to leave and one of them decides to lunge at Gajeel. But, he easily avoided the punch and landed one right in the face. The man fell over and the rest of the guys ran off."

It was so cliché that it was cute.

Both Lucy and Levy always had a hard time dating, finding it difficult to connect with someone who shared their interest. They both were intellectual woman who didn't just settle for sex. They were always looking for more than just a physical relationship. And men these days seemed to only want to have sex. Building that trust and loyalty in a relationship just didn't seem important in modern day time.

But despite Lucy's lingering doubts about the red eyed man, she could tell Levy was truly happy. She didn't know if it was Levy's twinkle in her eye or the way her smile lit up her face or the way she seemed to be floating around him. But, it was certain that Levy was content with her relationship.

"LEVY-CHAN!"

"LEVY!"

At the sound of Levy's name being called, both girls turned their gazes to the impending stampede of two men coming at large. Lucy shouted in fright as she moved out of the way, only to turn around and see her petite friend being smothered by two men.

"What the hell?" She muttered as she rubbed her backside. She frowned, confused with what was going on. Levy was being smothered by two men. One man was significantly taller than the other with his burnt orange hair and his lanky shoulders while the other man was much shorter and huskier. He had dark hair and easily covered the two.

But there was a chill in the air as Lucy sensed a dark aura nearby. Her brown eyes landed on the easily noticeable irritated Gajeel Redfox. His dark, ruby eyes were burning with agitation while his free hand was clenched tightly in a fist and his other gripping tightly on the drink in his hand. This was not going to end well.

"Oi! Tweedle dum and Tweedle do! Get the _hell off of her!_ "

Lucy watched as Gajeel threw his beverage to the floor in rage and stalked towards the trio. He reached for the collars of their shirts and hauled them off of Levy. He bore down at them with an intense glare, a protective arm around Levy's shoulders.

" _Gajeel!_ " she knocked away his arm and ran towards the two groaning men on the floor, asking if they were okay. Lucy was still staring in pure confusion.

She could see Gajeel seething, his shoulders rising with tension. Lucy was happy that she was not at the receiving end of that glare because if looks could kill…

After everything calmed down and tension died down around the four, Lucy was formally introduced to the two men: Jet and Dory, Levy's closest friends other than Lucy and Gajeel.

And it was easy to see that the dark haired man was not a fan of the two. It was painfully obvious the infatuation that the two men had for the petite woman. She could understand Gajeel's behavior and his reason for prying their love-struck hands off of her.

"So you live in Crocus, Lucy?" Jet asked.

She nodded. "Yep. For about 4 years now."

"Wow. What a life of a journalist must be like!" Droy followed after. "You must travel a lot, huh? You probably get to see really cool things!"

"Actually guys. Lu is a publisher! Youngest one yet!" Levy corrected and the brown eyed maiden immediately blushed. Jet and Droy went wide eyed and began to compliment her. Her blush grew by the second.

"It's nothing really. I just really like to write."

"So modest!" Jet shouted. "If I was you, I'd brag about it all the time! Hell, you can when you're the best!"

A quarrel between Jet and Droy soon ensued as the bigger man reprimanded Jet for being so cocky and arrogant. They both began to shout insults at one another with Levy in the background asking for them to calm down.

Lucy was beginning to grow annoyed by the constant bickering between the two. Gajeel must had too as he stepped in between the two.

" _Shut the hell up!_ You idiots are making my ears bleed with you fighting like dogs!" Both men immediately shut their mouths and the blonde couldn't help but put a mouth to her hand and giggle.

"Gajeel! Can you be anymore rude!?" Levy stood from her sitting place and glared fiercely at her boyfriend.

"Can _I_ be anymore rude? You're the one entertaining these damn idiots when you still have bunny girl here with you! Not to mention you cancelled our date so you can hang out with her!"

 _'Bunny… girl?'_

Lucy was a bit put off with the nickname that the man had given her. She didn't recall giving any indication as to why he would give her that type of name.

Levy's eyes went wide as Gajeel looked down at her with his fury red eyes. She looked almost hurt, but guiltier as Jet and Droy stood in the background mouth agape. Lucy wasn't bothered by Levy's friends such appearance. Annoyed a bit by their constant quarrel, but she didn't feel as if she was being put off by her blue haired best friend.

The blue haired woman turned away from her broody boyfriend and looked towards the floor before turning towards the two men behind her.

"Sorry guys. Gajeel's right. I haven't seen Lu-chan in so long. So, it would be rude of me to ignore her like this." Both Jet and Droy looked at one another before sighing in defeat. They then turned towards Levy and gave her a smile.

"Alright!" They shouted in unison.

Gajeel scowled and turned away with a huff with his arms crossed. Jet and Droy then turned to Lucy, who blushed slightly.

"We're sorry for being rude and interrupting your time with Levy-chan! I hope you enjoy your time here in Magnolia!" Droy said as he bowed in apology.

"Keep rockin' on! I'll try to catch one of your articles in their paper sometime!" Jet followed as he threw her a thumbs up and smiled.

Despite the annoyance, she couldn't help but smile. Lucy thanked them for their kind words and the two men were off.

"Good riddance." Levy turned a sharp eye at her boyfriend and commented about his rude behavior, but all Lucy could do was laugh.

Maybe Gajeel did come off a bit haughty and intimidating, but he wasn't all too bad either. The brute of a man looked over at her for a brief second and she casted him a smile. His eyes shifted uncomfortably and scoffed, breaking the brief eye contact they had.

Levy and Gajeel we're still quarrelling when she cleared her throat, catching their attention. She shared an excited smile with them as she flipped her hand out, saying:

"So where to next?"

 **A/N: What a coincidence that my update centralized on Lucy plus Gajevy while this last week's chapter centralized on Gajevy (Gajeel's confession!). It wasn't planned though as I already had this written before hand.**

 **Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed! Slowly, but surely, FT members are popping up. No Natsu and co. yet, but that's because I have something planned for them. The next chapter is about done. I just have a few things to look over before I start Chapter 4.**

 **Let me know what ya'll think! As always, reviews are encouraged :)**

 **Till next time!  
\- Dark Waffle**


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